Tannia Shipley, councillor for Weston Green, said: “Residents are particularly concerned because the green is very wet and they have done quite a lot of damage to the ground itself. It will reestablish itself but it is just very upsetting when you see all the mud where it is normally just attractive green pastures.

“We live here, we love this area, we love our common ground – that is why we chose to live here.”

A new court order must be granted to repossess the land in Weston Green, even though one was attained on Friday August 1. A notice was served on Wednesday (August 27), informing the travellers that a court hearing for a possession order was scheduled for Monday.

An Elmbridge Borough Council spokesman said: “The council’s travellers liaison officer visited the travellers, with the police, to carry out an assessment required under the legal protocol for dealing with unauthorised traveller sites.”

The council plans to reinstate the land to its previous condition when the area is repossessed.